letter 29: it's you that you're waiting for

hi hunnies,

how’s your heart? how are you holdin’ up?

as I write this, i’m sipping on a latte and munching on a yummy guava scone from my local cafe-this feels like the perfect start to my Sunday morning and I can’t help but just feel…grateful. so so grateful.

as I walked my pup Josie around the block this morning, a recurring thought bubbled up for me and it’s “how am I going to build a *real* community for myself here in Mexico City?”.

this is something i’ve been pondering about a lot as I have been noticing the insane contrast between American expats and local Mexican folks. it appears like although we’re existing in the same physical space, our worlds couldn’t be further apart. admittedly, I have naturally been introduced to a lot of expats while i’ve been out here and they make up the majority of the people I know, but I also can’t help but notice that our intentions for being in this country, how we’re choosing to navigate it, and how unalike our definitions of community are.

in other words, I don’t exactly find any comfort or community within the spaces made up of expats because it just doesn’t seem like they really care to expand and integrate into the city and the country they’re taking up space in, which is one of the strongest critiques that Mexicans have of the Americans that are choosing to move here.

this is 100% at odds with how I operate, and as someone who is obsessed with studying the nature of communities, I can no longer ignore the visceral reaction I have when i’m confronted with this chasm. up until now, my response has simply been to isolate. i’ve hadtoo much shit going on in my personal life to begin unpacking what this macro theme means, or what role I play in it, but it’s about time I start to peel back the layers and get real about what direction I want to take if I want to continue calling this place home.

before moving to Mexico I wrote out a list of priorities and intentions that I hoped would guide the way I made decisions and interacted with people. the #1 priority was the fact that I wanted to build an eclectic community that helped me truly learn more about the nature, history, and culture of this beautiful country.

it’s obvious that there is no place I can just show up to that serves as the embodiment of everything i’m looking for. as much as i’d love that, it’s just not realistic. so, similar to how I felt back in 2018 when I created goddess council, it’s time to shift out of feeling lonely and confused about why I can’t seem to find what i’m yearning for, and instead, architect some beautiful experiences and spaces that are guided by the intentions on my list.

this moment feels expansive and that alone is refreshing. i’m excited to see where this goes!

wishing you wellness,

cat, a gal tryin’ her best

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1. the latest episode of my podcast chats with cat, featuring spiritual medium and educator, melanie santos

2. my latest blog post, titled “People Like Me Aren’t Supposed to Risk Like This”

3. a 30 minute standing pilates class

4. an exploration as to why ‘third spaces’ are so important

5. routinizing your days can make you happier

6. some side effects of the unregulated wellness industry (hint: scams)

7. how to find the courage to go after your dreams (TEDx)

8. a line of products for anyone who is trying to repair their heat damaged curls

9. the dominican recipe book I just bought

10. identifying your “fun magnet”

11. exploring how to integrate mindfulness into the way you nourish your body